The British government conceded last night it could suppress findings of a public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
The argument of protecting national security could be used to hold back publication of the full report of the inquiry, the Northern Ireland Office said.
Pat Finucane
The admission came after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dail that the British government was pressing ahead with the setting up on an inquiry into the murder of Mr Finucane under the controversial Inquiries Act despite widespread opposition.
The Finucane family, the Dail, human rights groups and many international lawyers have opposed the use of the Inquiries Act for the probe because it gives ministers a say over what is published.
Mr Ahern told the Dail that Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain had told him he was seeking a judge to head the inquiry which should get under way later in the year. However, Mr Ahern said securing a judge to chair the hearing would not be easy as the international legal community had advised its members against accepting the position.
Earlier this month, the Dail passed an all-party motion calling for an independent inquiry into allegations of state collusion in the 1989 murder.
The Finucane family, the murdered lawyer's widow Geraldine and their sons, have campaigned far and wide against the use of the Inquiries Act. They have visited British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, Mr Ahern in Dublin, Brussels and Washington, and said they will not take part in the inquiry if it is established under the Act.
Mr Hain has decided to go ahead despite the opposition.
The Northern Ireland Office said the suggestion that ministers could impose restrictions on evidence to an inquiry under the Inquiries Act was wrong. A spokesman said: "Ministers will have no say in who the inquiry calls or what evidence it sees." The inquiry would seek: "Absolutely everything that is relevant", said the spokesman, and have full powers to compel all documents and evidence to be provided, and witnesses to attend.
However, crucially, the Northern Ireland Office statement added the words the Finucane family had feared. "The inquiry report will be published and anything held back, redacted, will be the bare minimum to protect national security and fulfil the Government's legal obligations.
"The inquiry's conclusions — that is what happened and whether or not there was collusion — will certainly be made public."
Mr Finucane was shot dead in front of his family in their North Belfast home by loyalist gunmen and there have been continuing allegations of British security force collusion in the murder.